Spinach Pasta from Scratch
"Spinach adds a beautiful color and flavor to pasta when introduced to the mix. Getting the blend right can be tricky, but this recipe will show you how."
photo by Late Night Gourmet
- Ready In:
- 1hr
- Ingredients:
- 5
- Serves:
-
2
ingredients
- 3 ounces spinach
- 1 3⁄4 cups flour
- 1⁄2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 eggs
- 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
directions
- Start boiling a large pot of water.
- NOTES: a) If using frozen spinach, skip steps 3-5; b) if omitting the spinach, use 1 1/4 cups of flour.
- Heat a skillet to medium heat, and add spinach; don't use cooking spray or oil.
- Cook spinach for about 30 seconds, stirring continuously. Spinach should turn a bright green color.
- Plunge spinach immediately into an ice water bath to stop the cooking process.
- When spinach has cooled down to lukewarm temperature, squeeze out the excess moisture using a cheesecloth.
- Add spinach, olive oil, eggs, and salt to food processor and run until fully blended.
- Add flour to food processor and run until blended. If the mixture is still sticky, add flour.
- Remove dough from food processor. Roll dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes.
- Transfer dough to a work surface that's generously dusted with flour. Cut dough into 4 pieces.
- If using a pasta maker, roll each piece out with a rolling pin until it's about 1/4" thick. If not using a pasta maker, roll until thin and hand-cut as desired.
- Shape dough into rectangles and run through pasta maker, starting with the widest setting. If the dough sticks in the rollers, dust the dough and the rollers with flour.
- Continue rolling dough through the rollers, gradually reducing the setting to flatten it as desired. NOTE: spinach pasta may need to be 1 setting wider than you normally want because of the stickiness of the dough.
- Cut pasta into shapes using the appropriate attachment.
- Lower pasta into water (don't drop it) and boil for a few minutes. Don't crowd the pot with pasta, as this can cause pasta to stick together.
- NOTE: Don't dump the whole pot of cooked pasta into a strainer the way you might with dry, boxed pasta. If transferring to a strainer, don't rinse with water.
- Using tongs or a spider skimmer, remove pasta from the water and transfer to a different container. Doing it this way will help the pasta keep its shape, and allow you to use hot water for the remainder of the boil.
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RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Late Night Gourmet
Harrison Township, Michigan
I have two teenagers who keep things very busy around our house during the daytime. I also work long hours at Ford Motor Company, and I do want to spend time with my family every day. If I try to cook when my kids have their friends over, I'm certain to be interrupted. In other words, my available times for cooking are very limited.
I don't want to give up on anything I love - my family, my job, my cooking - so I do most of my cooking after everyone has gone to bed. My wife is a teacher, so this can be very late at night during the summer. Sometimes, I don't get started with my prep work until 12:30 a.m. Am I crazy?? Maybe.
I'm also constantly working on healthier ways to prepare food. I deconstruct every recipe I like, and try to make it with healthier ingredients. The big challenge is keeping the food tasty. I believe it's possible to enjoy what you eat and still be healthy. I lost 15 pounds in 6 months largely by preparing my own food (and exercising). If I didn't keep such loony hours, I'd call myself "The Healthy Gourmet".
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